Safety Markelle Martin ‘welcomed back’ to Titans

Safety Markelle Martin has been a Titan since April, when he was a sixth-round pick.

But coach Mike Munchak had a little fun with the rookie on Wednesday, before his first practice with the team since the offseason. The Titans opened up a three-week window for Martin, who’s on the Physically Unable to Perform list, to be able to practice. He’d been sidelined with a knee injury.

“In a team meeting he welcomed me to the team, like I was a new guy,” Martin said. “It was a joke and it was funny. Everybody got a kick out of it. But it felt like I was a part of the team again.”

At some point in the next three weeks the Titans will have to choose to place him on the 53-man roster or on Injured Reserve.

Martin has had knee and hamstring issues. He did not take part in training camp after having surgery in July to take the meniscus out of his right knee.

“It felt good to be out there again,” Martin said. “I feel a lot more fluid.”